Friday, January 31, 2020

Friedman Paragraph Graded Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Friedman Paragraph Graded - Assignment Example Diverting the attention of the public from politics to economy development requires education skills. The political aspirants should focus on the tactics they can apply to help the United States chant her way out of economic crisis. It is true that the current generation is lacking ample knowledge in solving the economic crisis. The causes and solutions of the economic crisis are well stipulated in educational concepts. If the concepts are gained by majority, the problem would be easily averted (4:03 – 9:10). For instance, the technological advancement and understanding of the current technology has enabled people to connect and share development ideas through the social media such as face book. This implies that if everyone understands the real problems affecting the economy, people can share ideas that can solve the crisis. Referring to the Friedman’s idea, offering jobs alone is not enough to deliver the expected results as the performance will be low (4:03 – 9:10). The strategy in uplifting the job sector should focus on hiring employees who can invent and reinvent the strategies aimed at improving performance in the changing economic times (4:03 – 9:10). It is true that education is one of the prominent pillars of the economy (15:55 – 18:05). The efficiency of the other pillars is a product of educational knowledge and skills provided through

Thursday, January 23, 2020

Coping Mechanisms in Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five Essay

People react differently to tragedies: some mourn, some speak up, and some avoid the sorrow. In Slaughterhouse-Five, Kurt Vonnegut suggests the danger and inhumanity of turning away from the discomfort by introducing Billy Pilgrim as someone who is badly affected by the aftermath of the Dresden bombing, and the Tralfamadorians as the aliens who provide an easy solution to Billy. It is simpler to avoid something as tragic as death, but Vonnegut stresses the importance of confronting it. Vonnegut, like many artists, expresses his ideas through his creations. The significance of art is not confined to helping and inspiring the general public; the process of creating art also becomes another form of coping mechanism for artists. In Slaughterhouse-Five, Vonnegut expresses one of his ideas by focusing on the emotional impact of wars, instead of historical details. Because of this, Slaughterhouse-Five has received criticism for not being an accurate account of the Dresden bombing. There is no cause and effect in the book, not even a climax that is common to making it a good work of fiction. Vonnegut puts together the novel with small episodes and scatters them throughout the book without an actual timeline – the readers are traveling with Billy being spastic in time, living in the past, the present, and the future. It is, after all, not a history book but a science fiction novel. Vonnegut clarifies the logic of the novel’s style through the Tralfamadorians, who explain to Billy the layout of their books: â€Å"There is no beginning, no middle, no end, no suspense, no moral, no causes, no effects. What we love in our books are the depths of many marvelous moments seen all at one time† (Vonne gut 112). It is clear that the Tralfamadorians... ... Vonnegut, Kurt. Slaughterhouse-Five. New York: Dial. 2009. Print. Vees-Gulani, Suzanne. â€Å"Diagnosing Billy Pilgrim: A Psychiatric Approach to Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five.† Critique 44.2 (2003): 175-84. Print. Rackstraw, Loree. â€Å"The Vonnegut Cosmos.† The North American Review 267.4 (Dec. 1982): 63-67. JSTOR. Web. 25 Sept. 2011. Simpson, Josh. â€Å"‘This Promising of Great Secrets’: Literature, Ideas, and the (Re)Invention of Reality in Kurt Vonnegut’s God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater, Slaughterhouse-Five, and Breakfast of Champions Or ‘Fantasies of an Impossibly Hospitable World’: Science Fiction and Madness in Vonnegut’s Troutean Trilogy.† Critique 45.3 (2004): 261-71. Print. Grace, Gillian. â€Å"Music for a broken city: The Cellist of Sarajevo is a novel-length lament of war.† Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. CBC, 22 April. 2008. Web. 28 Sept. 2011.

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Modern Gadgets Implications to Teenagers Essay

Whether we like it or not, electric appliances and gadgets have occupied a major position in our day to day lives. Though they were invented to make life better for us in the first place, it is an undeniable fact that many of the gadgets have a negative influence upon the quality of our lives in some ways. As we cannot live without them in this modern world and they are a necessary evil, we have to find ways to reduce the negative impact of those modern appliances. Let us see some of the gadgets that we commonly use, the problems arising out of their use, and the ways of minimizing the negative effects arising from their use. Television: see more:importance of old age homes Though it might be considered as a good source of family entertainment and a good way to wind-down after a hectic day, too much television viewing can be very bad for us. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children below the age of 2 years should not see any TV and those above 2 years should be restricted to 2 hours of viewing per day. However researches indicate that if Video games/ DVD watching is also included there are some teens who average about 35 hours per week (more than double the recommended maximum view time!) in front of the tube. This definitely eats into the time that can be spent on more productive activities. The scenes witnessed in TV programs even in so-called family programs or soaps are often not recommended for teen-viewership when they are highly impressionable. For instance, there are studies to prove that children exposed to repeated scenes of violence (fight sequences) did not appreciate the physical harm that such acts can cause to others and were found to be insensitive to the trauma of victims of violent incidents. This is explained by a phenomenon called â€Å"Psychological overload† where the mind learns to accept scenarios to which it is repeatedly exposed and thus prevents the person thus exposed from experiencing â€Å"strong feelings like sympathy† in situations similar to that. Similarly, unrealistic portrayal of characters or stereotyping that is common in most programs can blunt a young adult’s ability to evaluate persons/ situations from realistic perspectives. Even discounting the psychological effects of such a viewing pattern, on a very gross level we find that family members have very little time to talk and understand each other better due to the amount of time they spend in front of the screen. The warmth of relationship is something that the distant tube cannot provide; but we have a generation of children which has grown up not knowing how much they are missing in terms of a joyous family interaction by merely sitting glued to television programs for hours together. The solution to this lies in reducing TV viewing time to a great extent, and in spending the time in family chatter instead. We have much to learn from each other as persons and no artificial media can substitute human warmth and interaction when it comes to improving emotional intelligence. So, we should put our foot firmly down and reduce the TV viewing time of the family in the best interests of everyone. Computers: Though computers have become almost indispensable today, too much time in front of the screen can be damaging to the eyes. Dryness of eyes, weakening of optical nerves, blank stares developed as a result of staring at the screen for hours together, idiopathic head-aches, and mood swings are some of the negative effects that arise due to spending too much time in front of the computer continuously. Lap tops have the added â€Å"honour† of even reducing fertility of men (due to the high temperature arising out of constant usage). The solution lies in taking a break from the screen at least for at least 3 mins for every one hour of computer usage. We can simply close our eyes or walk out of the work-station and train our eyes on distant greeneries so that the â€Å"blank stare† syndrome is avoided. Laptops are best used keeping an insulating medium like a wooden plank or a file folder between our laps and the laptop to avoid exposing our body to the â€Å"heat† of the gadget. Children should never be allowed to immerse themselves in computer games that  have too vivid graphics because it curtails their ability to visualize things for themselves. The mental imagery that is developed when reading novels or stories or while listening to good story-tellers is much more vivid than even the best designed graphics. But repeated to exposure to good quality graphic games makes the child blind to such joys of the mind where the young mind imagines things, and recreates wonderful scenarios merely from vivid descriptions depicted in stories. Cultivation of active reading habits is better than passive viewing of graphic models/ games. In fact, there are parents who feel proud that their tiny tot will not trouble anyone and will sit silently for hours if its favourite computer game is loaded on to the system. This is not correct. Children should be allowed to make a â€Å"nuisance† of themselves – to run around the house, to break things, to ask uncomfortable questions to adults, to shout, and in short – they should be allowed to be children – wild and active. By restricting them to the screen at young age, we are encouraging sedentary and passive life-style which will be manifest as myriad problems when they grow up. Psychological dependence on computers and how it impacts personal lives: I recently came to know of a young man who was so addicted to â€Å"Face Book† on the internet that he lost out on his MS fellowship – Face Book seemed more important than his course! Unfortunately, this is just not a stray incident of a misguided youth who behaved like a juvenile; there are many intelligent persons around the globe who perform below their true potential as their quality time is spent online in various activities including chats, unhealthy online debates (or gossip!), or addictive searches (there are many who indulge in ego-searches – searching for one’s name, one’s school name in websites, etc. just to â€Å"feel good†). In another instance, a young woman divorced her husband after just 3 months of marriage because she found it more enjoyable to play computer games and the husband was considered as an â€Å"intruder† in the happy relationship between herself and the fantasy world in her computer! Believe me, it is only the tip of the ice-berg†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦the two bizarre instances I have quoted are just symbolic of a wider raging psycho-pathology that is sweeping the world populace in various ways. The virtual world seems more real to many young adults than the real world! This is definitely not a healthy sign. I will go as far as to say that almost everyone today is addicted to the computer in one way or the other that impacts our life in various ways – it can be the chronic obsession to check emails at the death of night thus spoiling sleep rhythm, the chronic obsession to â€Å"search† matter on google or other search engines even if you are armed with all the relevant facts, the chronic obsession to log on to chat rooms while your dear and near ones are longing for your company in just the next room, and so on. We need to understand that computers were invented to make our life easier and they should serve us. It should never be that we venerate our systems to an extent that they Lord over us! We should discipline ourselves to spending only â€Å"productive† time before our systems – i.e. we should avoid the tendency to sit before the system just for the heck of it, but simply log off once our tasks are over. Well, there are cases when the person has to be really online due to professional compulsions. In such cases, keeping an amethyst crystal can heal the person and prevent health disorders arising out of over-exposure to electrical waves. Similarly, keeping fresh cucumber slices over the eyes can prevent eye strain and dark circles beneath the eyes. Cars, bikes, elevators, etc. A person can be healthy only if he/ she takes minimum amount of physical exercise every day and the day is also generally interspersed with optimum physical activity. Taking a walk of at least 3 km. per day can prevent most heart-ailments and blood-pressure complaints. But with the improving â€Å"standards of life† manifest in the form of every mode of transport, we take very little walk. There are persons who need to take out their bikes or worse even their car for even the street-corner mall – a distance of hardly 150m! These persons, apart from harming their bodies by depriving it of  necessary exercise, also contribute to environmental pollution by unnecessary use of vehicles that emit poisonous carbon-monoxide fumes to the atmosphere. The use of vehicles for transport cannot be avoided, but at least we should limit the usage to a healthy minimum and should switch to more eco-friendly fuels (for instance, restrict use of diesel vehicles; use car parks – people going along the same route from the same neighbourhood can share cars to reduce the number of vehicles plying on the road, etc.). Similarly, one should prefer to take a flight of stairs rather than use the elevator as far as possible. Taking short walks now and then is the greatest good that you can do to your body. Optimal use of refrigerators While refrigerators have become almost indispensable for storage of food items, it is not necessary for a single family to have 2 or 3 fridges! Though there are environment mandates that restrict the usage of CFCs in refrigerators in most developed countries (CFCs are the major culprits in depleting ozone layer), there are many developing countries where such CFC models still rule the roost! Even in nations where CFCs are restricted, HCFC or HFCs that are used instead still contribute to global warming – even these chemicals are not completely ozone safe – the only consolation being that they deplete lesser ozone! But, they use 10% more energy and contribute in a greater way to global warming. So, the only solution lies in at least limiting the use of refrigerators as complete avoidance of a refrigerator is not feasible due to various reasons, and these are indispensable for pharmacies to store medicines. A big family living in various apartments of a building society can just share one fridge; each branch/ division of an office need not have a refrigerator – they can just share one fridge for their usage. Small adjustments like these by different groups can reduce the overall impact on our environment. Microwave ovens/ heating appliances Researches indicate that microwave cooking can distort the molecular structure of foods – this can range from decrease in bioavailability of nutrients (thereby reducing the body’s ability to assimilate the nutrients) to the more dangerous formation of carcinogens (cancer causing molecules)  from basically harmless amino-acid chains of protein substances (this is markedly observed while heating milk and other cereals rich in proteins using microwave ovens). Studies of Dr. Hans Ulrich Hentel (Switzerland), Dr. Lita Lee of Hawaii, and other short-term studies have documented the effects of microwave cooking on food substances and the adverse impact on health. The studies indicate such effects ranging from increase of leucocytes, decrease in haemoglobin levels, and decrease in level of lymphocytes. In Comparative Study of Food Prepared Conventionally and in the Microwave Oven, published by Raum & Zelt in 1992, at 3(2): 43, it states â€Å"A basic hypothesis of natural medicine states that the introduction into the human body of molecules and energies, to which it is not accustomed, is much more likely to cause harm than good. Microwaved food contains both molecules and energies not present in food cooked in the way humans have been cooking food since the discovery of fire. Microwave energy from the sun and other stars is direct current based. Artificially produced microwaves, including those in ovens, are produced from alternating current and force a billion or more polarity reversals per second in every food molecule they hit. Production of unnatural molecules is inevitable. Naturally occurring amino acids have been observed to undergo isomeric changes (changes in shape morphing) as well as transformation into toxic forms, under the impact of microwaves produced in ovens. Dr. Lita Lee says that microwaving baby foods can convert certain trans-amino acids into their synthetic ciz-isomers. Further one of the amino-acids, L-Proline was converted into its d-isomer which is known to be neurotoxic (poisonous to nerves), and nephrotoxic ( poisonous to kidneys). – Ref. Lancet, issue of Dec 9, 1989. So, ideally we should use conventional cooking methods over microwave ovens or at least limit the usage of the ovens. In no instance should you use microwaves to heat baby formulae. If you do use microwave ovens for cooking, consume the foods at least half an hour later to avoid impact of the residual waves on your body tissues. IntroductionReading is an essential tool for lifelong learning. It is important for everyone to develop the rudiments of reading and the culture of reading always so as to survive in life. Reading according to Holte (1998) adds quality to life and provides access to culture and cultural heritage. He pointed out that reading empowers and emancipates citizens and bring people together. Okeke (2000) reaffirms that the art of reading is a priceless instrument for everyone. It is one of the most important activities of life through which we enter into the life and experiences of others and extend our knowledge, scope of experience and enjoyment. It has critical role to play in the overall development of an individual and the nation at large. Reading experience can be obtained in the library. The school library is a gateway to knowledge and will serve as a starting point or road map to reading and the promotion to reading culture. The library provides books and other resources which will h elp shape thoughts and influence the actions of students throughout life with active supervision by an experienced librarian. Due to technological development, reading habits are changing. In our society today, while technology is slowly taking a steady control over individual lives, the reading habit is fast vanishing into thin air (The Hindu, 2004). Students now lack the skill of reading. Instead they spend more hours on electronic media. Browsing the net, playing with funky handsets and passing non-stop SMSs seem to be the order of the day, there by making reading a book or any other piece of written material in a quiet or peaceful corner of a library or home become an archaic idea for most school children and adults (The Hindu, 2004). Obama (2008) in his speech pinpointed that children cannot achieve unless they raise their expectations and turn off television sets. Shabi and Udofia (2009) noted that active learning from books is better than passive learning such as watching televisions and playing games.Students are rarely interested in reading for pleasure and enjoyment instead they read only to pass examination. The declining interest in reading culture among our children (especially those in primary and secondary schools) is a cause for alarm and a challenge to all and something need to be done to alleviate this yawning problem. Unfortunately, reading is not taught or included in school curriculum. Reading is not a subject and cannot be taught separately as most other subjects in the curriculum rather it is subsumed in every other  subject and is regarded as a tool facilitating many other types of learning. Nowadays, due to the rat race syndrome, parents pay little or no attention to their children’s reading ability, parents themselves lack the skill and the culture of reading such that some do not read to their kids.Mefor (2010) urged all Nigerians schools to launch a readership promotion campaign which will help to inculcate the culture of reading in children. It is also important to start early to inculcate the culture of reading early enough in a child. Also Olukemi (2010) advised Nigerian youths to imbibe the reading culture in all their endeavours. She lamented that lack of reading culture among youths nowadays has greatly affected quality of graduates being produced by the nation’s higher institutions. It is against this background that this study tries to investigate on the influence of electronic media on the reading habits of pupils in homes and schools. Improving access to relevant information and promoting a reading culture are prerequisites for strengthening literacy skills, widening education and learning opportunities, and helping people to address the causes of poverty (Makotsi, 2005).| How often to teenagers Preview – Focus Questions – Case Study – Discussion – Links – References Case One The Young & the Wired Background Information The Net Generation or children who have been born since 1986 are the focus of a study done by a husband and wife team, the Oblingers, how teens learn. Technology has always been a part of the Net Generations life. The fascination with technology is missing it simply represents a tool. They use this tool daily and comfortably to stay connected especially with each other. Because of the presence of digital media in their homes and schools today’s students maybe more visually than verbally literate (Johnson, 2005). Studies done by the Oblingers indicate that students prefer learning by doing and working in groups (Johnson, 2005). The student in today’s classroom needs the interaction with their teachers and computers do not replace people. Adolescent Internet Use: What we expect, what teens report are not the same. The last decade has shown teen Internet use to have grown  exponentially. Our expectations of teens Internet use predicted: (1) boys use the Internet more than girls and they use it play violent games, (2) girls use the Internet less and mostly to shop or chat, and (3) the use of the Internet by teens will result in social isolation (Gross, 2004). The groups of 10th graders surveyed from a suburban California public school in 2001 have responded with very different conclusions. The findings say boys and girls online activities are very similar, they both use e-mail and instant messages, and spending time with friends offline is also a part of their daily life (Gross, 2004). A telephone survey was conducted by the Pew Internet & American Life Project in October and November 2004. The responses to their survey were compared to data collected in 2000 of how teens in America use technology. This extensive report covers 50 typed pages of information. Short Summary of their findings; * 87% of teens use the Internet (Lenhart, 2005) * 13% of teenagers who do not use the Internet are almost always from low income homes with limited access to technology and disproportionately African Americans (Lenhart, 2005) * 32% of all teems IM every day, teens prefer instant messaging over e-mail * 45% of teens own a cell phone * 72% of teens who connect from home use a computer that is located in a family room (Lenhart, 2005) Teens are also busy with friends and extracurricular activities. The average teen keeps in touch with 20 friends per week. They are averaging 10 hours per week in social activities outside of school (Lenhart, 2005). Today’s teens 83% are also involved in other offline activities including school sports programs, clubs, band, and recreational programs not associated with school. Transition Points for the Gender Gap in Computer Enjoyment compares girls and boys from elementary school to high school. The purpose of this study was to determine the gender differences in using computers at school. The study covered 10,000 students in Texas public schools covering the years 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2005. In summary the findings show no differences in the early elementary years, by the 4 and 5th grades girls enjoy computers more than boys (Christensen, 2005). In the 6th grade boys have a more positive feeling towards using computers at school than girls and by the 8th grade boys are significantly  more interested in using computers than girls (Christensen, 2005). The good news is that by the end of secondary school the attitudes are similar with little differences. Nerds and Geeks: Society’s Evolving Stereotypes of our Students with Gifts and Talents are finding a much more respected place in today’s classrooms among their peers. As our society has moved from the Industrial Age to the Information Age the importance of being technologically competent has provided positive changes for our students labeled talented and gifted (Cross, 2005). In the past the negative terms nerds and geeks were often associated with students achieving academic excellence. The new term â€Å"tech geek† has positive associations as being someone who is technologically savvy and this expert is seen as a helper to others (Cross, 2005). With our current students striving to use technology in their personal lives they have discovered knowledge is power and it is cool to be knowledgeable. Preview Today’s high school and middle school age students have grown up with personal computers in their homes as well as their schools. Many of today’s youth were not even born when the first pc’s hit the stores. The personal computer has been around more than 20 years. The Apple IIc was introduced in 1984. Teens use all kinds of technology driven gadgets with little or no hesitation. The Pew survey tells us that almost all teens have cell phones, they use the Internet daily, enjoy and prefer instant messaging over e-mail, and online games draw both teenage girls and boys. The research also tells us that teens prefer to use the Internet at home to communicate with their friends. Many teens spend their evenings talking on their cell phones or â€Å"IM-ing† with their friends. They still prefer face- to- face interaction with their friends and the average time spent with friends is about 10 hours per week for both girls and boys. Parents and educators face the challenge of how to provide the training for teens to be good citizens while using today’s technology to interact with each other which is for the most part not supervised. Youth have always enjoyed pulling pranks and today’s teens are armed with some powerful tools to pull some high tech foolishness that can be very damaging to each other. Focus Questions As you study the following case, keep these questions in mind: (1) Should Internet activity that occurs at home be the concern of schools? (2) What should schools be teaching teenagers concerning being good â€Å"cyber-citizens†? (3) Do students understand the potential problems associated with giving or sharing personal login information? The Case Hijacked* The second period Computer Applications Class at Highland Park High School is filled with mostly ninth graders. This class is an equal mix of boys and girls all trying to fulfill their high school computer requirement. The instructor, Ms. Leigh Ellen Powell, has given the class an Internet research assignment. Each student has been assigned a U. S. President to research and design a web page with links to more information about the life and career of their President. The atmosphere in this classroom is relaxed with the students chatting casually and quietly to each other. While Ms. Powell is walking around assisting each student, she overhears some girls talking about the upcoming Sadie Hawkins Dance. This traditional February event is where the girls ask the boys. Claire, Katie, and Megan are discussing who their dream date would be for the dance. Each girl wants the attention of a new student, Will, but is too shy to talk to him. Katie mentions that she will ask her potential date to the Sadie Hawkins dance via instant messaging or IM. It is much easier than face-to-face and compares it to passing a note. Claire and Megan agree that they will also ask their date at home on their computer via instant messaging. Claire, Katie, and Megan like so many of today’s teens, are using the Internet from home to communicate with their friends from the time they get home until bedtime. The teens today are fabulous at multitasking. The girls can be working on their homework on the family pc, â€Å"talking† to several friends at a time on IM, listening to their mp3 player, taking a digital picture, and composing a text message on their cell phone all in the comforts of their family room. The research tells us that today’s teens use a variety of gadgets proficiently. For example, Megan took a digital photo of her outfit for the dance, downloaded the image to her computer, and attached it to an e-mail to Claire and Katie for their  opinion of her clothes. This activity is common for most teens but the divide where teens are not using technology as much comes in the form of economics. Our low income families are struggling to provide broadband Internet connections and without high speed connection teens are not as interested in using the web. At school the next day, the girls confess they had not asked anyone to the dance and all were feeling a little shy. Claire, Katie, and Megan decided to spend the night at Megan’s house and ask the boys while together on Megan’s computer. Megan logged on to IM and walked into the kitchen for snacks. Claire decided to pretend to be Megan and ask Will to the dance. The â€Å"conversation† took on a very mature tone and was nothing like what Megan would say. Will was shocked and declined her invitation to the dance. Claire logged off before Megan returned and decided not to tell her. In computer class Ms. Powell overheard Claire and Katie discussing what they had done. The girls thought it was very funny and decided to do it again and maybe post an unflattering picture of Megan. Ms. Powell felt very uneasy knowing what the girls had done and were going to do. She wondered, as a teacher, what is her responsibility in this situation? Questions for Discussion 1. What is the teacher’s role concerning student Internet activities at home? 2. She wondered how to incorporate being a good citizen even in cyberspace? 3. How important is keeping your login information secure? 4. Why should students get into the habit of logging off when they are away from your computer? *Hijacked is the term used when someone poses as someone else and is using someone else’s password or personal log in information. What are the disadvantages and advantages of the modern gadgets like cellphone, computer, etc. to STUDENTS? PLEASE answer this as many as you know†¦ I really need your cooperation.. This is a research in english subj. If i can’t submit the research I will FAIL the subject†¦ ‘:-( Best Answer – Chosen by Voters Advantages of modern gadgets to students: 1. A faster way to search for information (via the Internet) 2. Sometimes a more effective way of learning. (via educational computer programs) 3.  Prepares students for the globalized world where computer-literacy is a must. 4. Easier way of communication. 5. Helps students if they have difficulties (homework helpers, etc. ) 6. More accessible. 7. Gives students recreation.8. A larger information source. Disadvantages: 1. Students tend to be lazy. 2. Computer games such as online games divert the students’ attention from school. 3. Can be used for procrastination. 4. Distracts students from schoolwork. 5. Students lose interest in their schoolwork. cellphones are great for keeping in contact with people, entertainment, now music, & everything else its coming up with†¦ disadvantage: a fuss to get signals, dead battery, dependant, addicting, and old tehcnology. not to mention costs. computer: basically everything it has to offer, games,business, shopping, information, world wide web lets not forget that†¦yahoo answer!!! disadvantage:too addicting, old technology, pop-up, spam, scam online, viruses. can delelte your work, makes people lazy. ipods:music,video,photos its cool†¦period. dis:cds lowering How often  cell phones have not only become a method for communication, they have evolved into an entertainment gadget. Because these small, hand-held computers seem to do it all, young kids beg and plead for a cell phone. The average age for teens to receive their own cell phone is between 12 and 13. But that doesn’t mean you won’t see even younger children with phones. About  3 percent of children receive their cell phone under age 10, and 6 percent get them at age 10. Even though many parents may feel middle school is still too young for students to have their own cell phone, others may feel there are several advantages to having these gadgets at such a young age. They like to be able to stay in touch with their children so they can take a more active role in ensuring their safety. Parents can even use software such as cell phone parental control software to keep a closer eye on their child’s daily activities. It’s an important decision, and it is up to the parent how old the child is when they receive their first phone. Many parents say they wait until the child is involved in school activities and others wait until their teenagers are driving. Some parents may not even let their child have a cell phone until they can afford it on their own. While it’s quite common for teenagers to have their own phone, statistics show that 25 percent of teenagers don’t have cell phones. According to Pew Research Center, 84 percent of Americans ages 12 and up own a cell phone, and 31 percent own a smartphone. Cell phones have become such an integral part of daily life for teenagers that 15-18 year olds are reported to spend an average of 1 hour and 51 minutes each day sending text messages. Kids between 11 and 14 spend an average of 1 hour and 13 minutes texting. A few additional statistics we found regarding teens and texting include: * Texting is the second most common use of cell phones, following checking the time * 65 percent of high school students use their cell phone in school * One-fourth of text messages sent by teens are during class hours * 42 percent of teens say they can text with their eyes closed * One study shows that teens under 18 years old send and receive 2,779 texts a month * Teens send and receive five times more text messages per day than adults * Those who send and receive more than 50 texts a day also tend to be heavy users of voice calling * 54 percent of teens use text messaging as daily communication, and only 38 percent will call on a cell phone Cell phones are a way that teenagers feel they can communicate with other individuals. According to one study, 84 percent of teens say they like that cell phones make it easy to talk to people. Additionally, the study states that 69 percent of teens say their cell phone is used as a form of entertainment and 47 percent say their social life would end without their cell phone. The same study shows that 57 percent say their life has improved by using their  cell phone. Role of teens in modern gadgets A teen wants to make a significant change in a world where grown-ups are expected to do this or that. A modern teen wants to break away from the usual norms of the society by making an active role in improving the world. He or she wants to make a fundamental contribution to attain peace, economic growth and of course, their own dreams. It may be too forceful to act too mature by pretending to be a grownup, but there’s actually an easy way for a teen to make a noteworthy contribution to the society and that it through modern technology. It is of course a known fact that before modern technological gadgets like a computer came into the market, the teens usually have to suffer spending time in using their parent’s typewriters. One can only imagine the frustration of a teen when he or she mistypes a letter and had to halt the work in order to get a liquid eraser just to get rid of a single letter. It is also safe to assume that after the work has been done, a lot of trash c an be seen on the floor. Crumpled papers, torn carbon papers and wrinkled typewriter ribbons can be seen casually strewn on the floor. After hours of typing just a couple of papers, and they’re all set. Now, this is something an active teen wants to do on a Saturday night! The nightmare is over, thanks to the emergence of the ever reliable personal computers! With just a click of a mouse and a push of a button, a single mistake is solved. No more frustrated tears and bloodied hands from too much force in typing. The new age of technology is here! If that’s not enough, the teens have the privilege of using the Internet. If one can remember, it used to be a communication strategy for the military where they can send information even if they are from a far off place in secret. Now that this technology is passed to the younger generation, then a plethora of opportunities have emerged. The internet, in fact, has entirely changed the perception of a teen. It is because the teen has a new role to accomplish, to improve the quality of education in their respective schools. The use of internet to check updated information on current issues makes the teen more updated with the latest in the world. No more rushing to the library to get outdated information from old books, the internet is the modern library for teens! Another technological device that was passed on to the teens was the  ever reliable device, the mobile phone! The device comes from different shapes and sizes, each boasting its own spectacular features. This gadget makes it easier for teens to communicate with each other, with their loved ones and their respective local authorities in case something bad happens. An urgent call to 911 just to save someone’s life is a big role for a teen. Remember, way back, teens are forbidden to go out at night because there’s no way to contact them. Here’s the answer, the mobile phone. For most teens, the emergence of modern technology is like the best gift for their generation. In fact, these modern devices inspire them to make a significant contribution to the society. However, just like anything else, there’s a bad side of it if it’s not used for the better good. These gadgets can be addicting to the point that one doesn’t have the desire to go to school anymore because the latest video games are now available in computers or that the mobile phones are used to communicate with friends who just want to skip school and will try to encourage the teen to skip school too. It is at this point that teens should be aware of what their true roles are in the society. It is not to be a headache to the grownups but rather to be the implementers of meaningful change. The gadget is a device that is able to perform one or several functions. Gadgets often have funky designs but have useful functions as well. It is also being referred as gizmos. The history of gadgets can be traced back to the early 1800s. There is a wide variety of gadget including GPS system, USB toys, smartphone and etc. The first appearance of the term â€Å"gadget† occurs in 1985. Amiga OS uses the term to describe the GUI widget in a graphical user interface. 1. Benefits of Modern Gadgets Gadgets offer many benefits to the users. It usually has a small size so you can bring it with you to any place. Spy gadgets incorporate a recording player and video camera. For example, a spy pen gadget can have a camera. It functions just like a pen and can be used to write words. No one will know if the camera is recording scane because it is hidden within the pen. There are also gadgets that design to aid people with physical impairment. For example, the electronic eyes gadget allows the blind person to cross the road.

Tuesday, January 7, 2020

To What Extent was the Cold war Caused by Ideological...

The Cold War, a period of sustained political and military tension between the USA and the USSR, resulted in various viewpoints concerning the cause of the tension emerging. Until today the question remains unresolved, even after the 1991 release of Soviet archives. The main point of disagreement relates to the roles that ideology played in the events between 1945 and 1949. Was it the strongly opposing ideologies, capitalism and communism, or power and material interest that drove both superpowers to the decades of struggle for global supremacy. The orthodox view regarding the cause of the Cold War, formed the standard interpretation between the 1940s and early-1960s. The breakdown of the wartime alliance and the expansion of Soviet†¦show more content†¦For example, William Appleman Williams in his 1962 book, ‘The Tragedy of American Diplomacy’, argued that the U.S. considered the â€Å"open door† policy as essential to the continuous prosperity of the United States. He claimed that no post-war agreement with the Soviet Union would have ben set until the Soviets allowed the U.S. free trade in eastern Europe. But this of course was not what the Soviet Union wished to have in the region. So, the U.S. put too much pressure on the Soviets through plans such as the Marshall Plan and this in return put the USSR on the defensive. Once the USSR entrenched itself to protect its interests, no room to Once the Soviet Union entrenched itself in order to protect its interests, there was no room to compromise on the makeup of post war Europe. Thus, security fears where supposedly at the heart of Soviet policy. One of the first diplomatic moves by the U.S. in the Cold War was atomic bomb drop on Hiroshima August 6th 1945 and three day later one Nagasaki. Revisionist Gar Alperovitz argues that President Harry S. Truman and his Secretary of State, James F. Byrnes, could have ended the war without using the atomic bomb and that the weapon was more of an instrument to intimidate the Soviets. The intention was to end the conflict before the Soviet Union had an opportunity to declare war on Japan, marchShow MoreRelatedThe Origins Of The Cold War2356 Words   |  10 PagesHI742/HI747- The Cold War, 1941-1991 How Important were individual figures in the origins of the Cold War? The Cold War refers to a period post World War II characterised by a state of political tensions between the Soviet Union and the United States both supported by their allies from the Eastern and Western blocs respectively. Despite this being such a pivotal point in modern history there is a lack of clarity stemming from much debate regarding the catalyst for the Cold War and the ‘start’Read MorePaper Exam 2 History Ib9416 Words   |  38 PagesHistorical processes such as comparison and contrast, placing events in context and evaluating different interpretations are used appropriately and effectively. Topic 1 1. –4– Causes, practices and effects of wars N11/3/HISTX/BP2/ENG/TZ0/XX/M With reference to one war before 1945 and one war after 1945, assess the significance of either air power or naval power in deciding its outcome. Air power can be taken to mean the use of aircraft in a variety of roles – as fighters/strafers, bombers, reconnaissanceRead MoreWas the Cold War Inevitable Essay2937 Words   |  12 Pages------------------------------------------------- Was the Cold War Inevitable? ------------------------------------------------- ARTS1271 ESSAY ------------------------------------------------- 16th September, 2011 ------------------------------------------------- The orthodox view of the Cold War elucidates its inevitability due to the great ideological differences that existed between the Soviet Union and United States. On the other hand, the revisionists argued that it happened due toRead MoreThe Causes of the Cold War Essay2058 Words   |  9 PagesIn discussions of the causes of the Cold War, one controversial issue has been the question: who caused the Cold War? On the one hand, traditional historians argue that the leaders of the Soviet Union are to blame. On the other hand, revisionists contend that the Western leaders are to blame. Others even maintain that it was both the Western and the Soviet leaders who are equally responsible for the development of the Cold War. My own view is that the Western leaders were responsible for protectingRead MoreThe World Of The United States1247 Words   |  5 PagesAmerica has set itself as a global hegemon in our unipolar world. In order to be called a world leader the United States has been thro ugh many conflicts that would rather have no direct threat to national security. What makes America so powerful are their allies and cooperative structure. However, recent complications have seen America lose a lot of its influence on the global stage and a rise of influence in other actors. Within the next 20 years there’s going to be a divergence of power and ourRead MoreThe United States And Capitalism2120 Words   |  9 PagesUnited States moral dominance in world affairs. Yet during the cold war, the United States was not the only country portrayed as the moral center of the world. After the end of World War Two, the Soviet Union and the United States fought a war of words, the Cold War, for supremacy and world influence. The tones of these arguments were that both sides and their opposing forms of government were the pinnacle of moral standing. This war of words extended to the battlefield as third world nations, seekingRead MoreGermany During The Cold War1901 Words   |  8 PagesSection A: Plan of Investigation This investigation will assess the extent to which the division of Germany during the cold war affected the social conditions of the citizens living in both sides. The two main sources used will be â€Å"Growing up in East Germany† written by Bruno van den Elshout and â€Å"Berlin After the Wall† by Cassie Leventhal. Investigations on the manner in which the social and economic differences on each side of the wall will be evaluated through examples of the citizen’s lives.Read MoreThe End Of The Cold War2747 Words   |  11 PagesThe United Nations was handed the sacred duty of, in its own words, â€Å"to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war.† While the UN was able to prevent another great war, and to an extent other large regional wars, it has still not met its key tenet of saving generations from the scourge of war. I believe that the UN has failed to promote peace successfully in the world, and its job as facilitator of peace hasnâ€℠¢t been met when countless conflicts have continued all over the globe. I believeRead MoreEconomic Systems : How Do They Succeed Or Fail? Essay2910 Words   |  12 Pagesis my objective to discover what particular characteristics made each country have a successful economic system, and what differences they have compared to other not so successful nation-states. It is worth mentioning that there is no perfect system, and that the purpose of this paper is to show cases of countries in which a specific ideology caused an either positive or negative result in the economy, polity or society. II - Economic systems A - Capitalism As it was explained in my previous essayRead MoreThe Worst Thing About Communism3026 Words   |  13 PagesCrucially, he lamented the Soviet Union’s downfall as â€Å"the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the century† and this is certainly a well-supported view, Polish dissident and journalist Adam Michnik has remarked â€Å"the worst thing about communism is what comes after† and generally world events since 1991 have shown that an end to one of the world’s dominant ideologies did not necessarily mean world peace and although the nuclear missiles trained on each other’s shores were, at least in part, stood

Monday, December 30, 2019

Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill the Bp Disaster - 2305 Words

AP Environmental Science Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: The BP Disaster The Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico was one of the most infamous industrial environmental disasters ever. On April 20, 2010, a marine oil-drilling dig called the Deepwater Horizon exploded, releasing hundreds of millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. This explosion resulted in the loss of human life, massive environmental damage, and widespread damage to the livelihood of people living along the Gulf Coast. The organization with the largest share in the oil drill, BP (Beyond Petroleum), is still facing consequences of this spill and lost millions of dollars as well as national support. The Obama administration also received criticism†¦show more content†¦The report faults the communication between BP and its contractors, as its contractors were short of effective training, and the key engineering capabilities of the rig personnel. Who was truly responsible for this incident? BP took the blame, but was it really entirely their fault? Hereâ €™s a list of the companies involved in the process and their respective responsibilities for the accident. BP: Beyond Petroleum was the general contractor for this oil rig, and therefore naturally the bearer of the heavyweight responsibility. The responsibility of the total operation of the Deepwater Horizon was run by BP and they were therefore responsible to oversee all activity that would affect the safety and effectiveness of the drilling process. Transocean: Transocean is the world’s largest offshore drilling company, and was the owner of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig. Transocean leased the rig to BP for the span of March 2008 to September 2013, and they were given the responsibility of monitoring safe working practices and the protection of the personnel on board. Halliburton: Halliburton is a company that offers a broad array of oilfield services and products to oil and gas customers worldwide. Halliburton was a contractor as well as the cementer for the project. Halliburton’s job was to establish the cement barrier for this Deepwater Horizon drilling rig. Halliburton came under fire after an investigation reported that the initial fault of theShow MoreRelatedThe Spill Of The Deepwater Horizon1188 Words   |  5 Pagesthe Deepwater Horizon experienced an explosive blowout on a rig located in the Gulf of Mexico. The explosion was about 40 miles of the Louisiana coast. With the flow of gas leaking out, it caused the death of eleven workers on the rig. About two days later the rig sank, which caused quite a lot of damage to a pipeline that laid drawn-out through 5,000 feet of water. As a result, the oil begin pouring from the damaged pipes into the ocean nearby, at the incredible rate. The Deepwater Horizon was builtRead MoreWhen Disas ter Strikes : Bp s Risk Management Failure Essay1330 Words   |  6 PagesWhen Disaster Strikes: BP’s Risk Management Failure Risk is a concept that many organizations deal with on an everyday basis. In fact, risk is an integral facet of operating an organization. Risk has negative connotations, but that is a misnomer, because many organizations make use of it for positive gain. One way of looking at risk is that it is what an organization lays on the line so that they can gain something in return. Risk is not inherently bad; it is how an organization manages it thatRead MoreArgumentative Essay : Bp Oil Spill1558 Words   |  7 PagesArgumentative Essay: The BP Oil Spill Phillip Staton PHI 445 Personal Organizational Ethics Prof. Gloria Zuniga y Postigo February 29, 2016 Argumentative Essay: The BP Oil Spill Introduction In 2010, BP’s Deepwater Horizon rig exploded, causing millions of barrels of crude oil to be leaked out into the Gulf of Mexico. The extensive oil spill created a lot of pollution and far-reaching effects on the tourism industry. The resultant damage to marine wildlife such as fish will continue to be feltRead MoreThe Legal Issues and Ethical Effects of the Deepwater Horizon Explosion and British Petroleum Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico 20101542 Words   |  7 PagesBP Gulf Oil Spill 1 Running Head: BP GULF OIL SPILL The Legal Issues and Ethical Effects of the Deepwater Horizon Explosion and British Petroleum Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico 2010 Terry D. Bollman Park University BP Gulf Oil Spill 2 British Petroleum’s Roll in the Gulf Oil Spill This paper will explain some of the effects of three legal issues and three ethical issues surrounding the London-based British Petroleum Company’s involvement in the explosion of the offshore oilRead MoreMultinational Gas And Oil Company1624 Words   |  7 Pagesmultinational gas and oil company based in the United Kingdom. Operating in over 80 countries and producing around 3.4 million barrels of oil a day, BP is the third-largest energy company in the world behind Exxon Mobil and Royal Dutch Shell. The company is involved in all aspects of the process including exploration, production, refining, and distribution. The largest division is BP America with 16 total refineries and the more leases on oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico than any competitor (BP p.l.c). InRead MoreEffects Of The Oil Spill On The Gulf Of Mexico1112 Words   |  5 Pagesthe oil spill happens. This oil spill happened five years ago and nearly 5 barrels of oil was spilt into the Gulf of Mexico. The oil spill was caused from an explosion through the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig about 40 miles off the coast of Louisiana. The main effect from this oil spill was the losses of the animals. Causing many to almost go extinct. As a result from the oil spill the earth has had—losses from pollution, the cost, and the damage of people. The first effect of the oil spill is manyRead MoreBritish Petroleums Crisis Handling Practice1113 Words   |  5 PagesINTRODUCTION In 2010 British Petroleum’s Deepwater Horizon oilrig1 suffered a devastating explosion that resulted in the death of 11 workers and initiated the largest marine oil spill the world had or has ever seen (Pallardry). This spill also became the largest offshore environmental disaster in United States history (Elliot). Over 200 million gallons of crude oil were pumped into the Gulf of Mexico (Hoch), polluting over 16,000 coastal miles in the states of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, MississippiRead MoreThe Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill2022 Words   |  9 PagesDeepwater Horizon Oil Spill The Context Before the occurrence of the Deepwater Horizon event, BP had already been labelled as having a horrible safety record. A 2009 report by the United States Department of Labour Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Todd Petterson , 2009), indicated that BP had 270 existing fines of a ‘failure to abate’ and 439 ‘wilful violations’ of various safety protocols. At the time of the disaster the regulators of the oil industry in the United States was theRead MoreThe Issue Facing Bp Pre Oil Spill1074 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction On Tuesday, April 20, 2010 the Deepwater Horizon rig burned for 36 hours, combusting 700,00 gallons of oil leaving a trail of smoke over 30 miles long and spilling 53,000-62,000 barrels of oil into the Gulf per day from April 20 and July 15. As of 2010, the Deepwater Horizon disaster was the largest marine oil spill ever to occur in U.S. water. Oil was found on the shores of all five Gulf States and many birds, fish, and reptiles perished due to the oil spill (Ingersoll, 2011, p. 1-2; O’ConnerRead MoreBp Oil Explosion in the Gulf of Mexico1412 Words   |  6 Pagesits worst oil spill disasters in the history of marine petroleum exploration. A deadly oil well blowout at Macondo Prospect, about 41 miles off the southeast coast of Louisiana, spewed huge quantities of oil for 87 long days causing major environmental and economic troubles to the Gulf region (Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill). It started with a fire and explosion, killing 11 workers, and then unleashed a slow motion disast er that spread across the 600 mile gulf coastline. The massive oil spill disrupted

Saturday, December 21, 2019

Today In The World Humans Have The Lowest Death Rate To

Today in the world humans have the lowest death rate to diseases that have been a huge problem for the human race. Smallpox was one of these diseases that caused many problems to the human race, but with vaccines scientists and doctors were able to eradicate the disease completely, and no natural case has occurred since 1949 (â€Å"What is Smallpox?†). However recently people are afraid to vaccinate themselves and their children due to the chance of severe reactions (â€Å"Vaccine Reactions†). In addition they also fear of their children acquiring autism from vaccines (â€Å"Vaccines Cause Autism?†). Although people have had severe reactions to vaccines, they greatly benefit the immune system and eradicate diseases. There are many reasons why someone†¦show more content†¦(Ahearn). However even after sufficient evidence that the research was phony many parents are still afraid to vaccinate their child on the basis vaccines will cause Autism. Parents may even not get them or their child vaccines due to severe reactions. Meanwhile it has been determined by the CDC that about 1 in a million doses will have severe effects. Thus the chance of severe reactions occurring are rare, but are still possible (â€Å"Possible Side-effects†). However, it is undeniable that they have occurred and they are capable of causing permanent damage, or even death. The NVIC, or National Vaccine Information Center, has reported several common reactions, such as 103℉ fever, difficulty breathing, loss of vision or speech, and seizures and convulsions. Whilst these are serious affects, their low chance of happening means there shouldn’t be too much worry. The benefits vaccines have to peoples immune system’s ability to fight infection are too good to not have. Although, that begs the question, how do vaccines work, and how do they prevent disease? Well people s immune systems are broken up into 2 different types of defen se, the first being nonspecific defense. Non-specific defense is the first line of defense, whichShow MoreRelatedCauses of Overpopulation Essay841 Words   |  4 PagesAccording to the U.S Census Bureau the current world population is estimated to be about 6,770,332,394 people and still growing exponential. Also the world population is suppose to be over 8 billion people by 2025, and 9.5 billion by 2050 (U.S. Census Bureau). The only way to prevent this problem from becoming a world epidemic is by truly understanding some of the causes of the problem and what this problem might bring to the future of mankind. The world population growth is moving exponentiallyRead MoreEssay on The Death Penalty Is A Necessary Evil1099 Words   |  5 PagesThe death penalty is a necessary evil that has a positive effect on society today. It is an effective deterrent of crime as well as a safeguard for society. It also helps to keep order in our cities. It is a just and effective punishment for those who have committed crimes heinous enough to deserve death. The death penalty is not a new idea in our world. Its origins date back over 3,700 years to the Babylonian civilization, where it was prescribed for a variety of crimes. (Capital PunishmentRead MoreBackground Information of Death Valley Essay1709 Words   |  7 PagesBackground Information of Death Valley Established as a National Park in 1933 under President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Death Valley is the largest national park in the continental United States even though its total length is no more than approximately 100 miles in length. The valley is located in the Mojave Desert in eastern California and is surrounded by the Amargosa Range on the east, the Panamint Range on the west, and the Sylvania Mountains and Owlshead Mountains on the northern and southernRead MoreThe Population Of Denmark And The Uk1535 Words   |  7 Pageson a fair scale of what is more realistic, it was still half of the UK’s rates. The Danish system is sometimes called too soft‘. This is because the sentencing structure itself is notably ‘less harsh’ than the UK approach. The typical sentence handed out to Danish prisoners is 6 months. However, these prisoners often find they are released after 3 months. Also, for any sentence under than 5 years, they are allowed to have their spouse and child (if the child is under 3-years-old) move in to theRead MoreShould The Death Penalty Be Allowed? Essay1503 Words   |  7 Pageson the death penalty. The decision regarding either for the death penalty or against it. Should the death penalty be allowed or abolished? What is the death penalty? Death penalty has a couple of names such as capital punishment or execution. However all these terms mean the same which means punishment by death. Crimes that may result in the death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offenses. The sentence that carries out a punishment in this manner is a death sentence (1). Death penaltyRead MoreViolent Video Games Cause Violence : Cause Of Violence And Video Games1377 Words   |  6 Pages 27 November 2017 The Blame Game Statistically, 2017 has become the year with second lowest crimes rates since 1990, assuming there isn’t a big resurgence in violent crime between now and the end of the year (Bump). However, violent crimes continue to be a problem in modern-day America. Many have sought out to find out the root of these crimes and what causes them, and as a result, many different things have been cited as a cause for violence. Violent video games are said to be a possible sourceRead MoreStatistical Data Of Heart Disease1128 Words   |  5 Pagesthis paper is to speak about statistical data of heart disease in Hartford Connecticut. The Epidemiology and the community I have chosen to speak about in this paper are cardiovascular disease and stroke in the city of Hartford in the state of Connecticut. According to Heart.org, Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death and accounts for more than 17.3 million deaths per year and is expected to grow to over 23.6 million by 2030 (Heart Disease, Stroke and Research At-a-Glance, 2016). IdentifyingRead MoreA Summary On Capital Punishment1345 Words   |  6 Pagesyears and capital punishment is at its lowest rate in years, murder rates are at some of the lowest levels on record (Johnson). and Colorado governor Bill Ritter grants Arridy an unconditional pardon based on an â€Å"overwhelming body of evidence† and â€Å"an admission of guilt by someone else.† This is one of many cases where citizens have been executed for crimes they did not commit (â€Å"Executed†). Consequently, concerns of the constitutionality and morality of the death pe nalty are at the forefront of publicRead MoreThe Death Of The Family1418 Words   |  6 PagesDeath of the Family America has made great progress on the world stage with her technology. The inventions of the computer, cell phones, and internet have become a crucial part of life for many around the world. With all the technology, America, has been unable to stop the murder of her families. Hundreds of families each day are being murdered by the very technology that was invented to make life better. Not all the murders have been carried out directly by the technology itself. Some families haveRead MoreCountries that Apply The Death Penalty1160 Words   |  5 Pages The freedom to live Up to today, 36 countries apply the death penalty, also called the capital punishment. It is the irredeemable approval of the government to take the lives of people who have done irreparable crimes. In other words, it means that people are taking away the lives of other people in order to punish them for having done extreme actions. But the death penalty does not castigate a convicted person who has done something extremely bad for example like murdering someone; rather it frees

Friday, December 13, 2019

The Other in the Tempest Free Essays

In order to understand the characters in a play, we have to be able to distinguish what exactly makes them different. In the case of The Tempest, Caliban, the sub-human slave is governed largely by his senses, making him the animal that he is portrayed to be and Prospero is governed by sound mind, making him human. Caliban responds to nature as his instinct is to follow it. We will write a custom essay sample on The Other in the Tempest or any similar topic only for you Order Now Prospero, on the other hand, follows the art of justifiable rule. Even though it is easy to start assessing The Tempest in view of a colonialist gaze, I have chosen instead to concentrate on viewing Caliban as the monster he is portrayed to be, due to other characters that are not human, but are treated in a more humane fashion than Caliban. Before we meet Caliban, we meet Ariel, Prospero s trusting spirit. Even though Ariel is not human either, he is treated kindly and lovingly by his master who calls him my quaint Ariel. Caliban, on the other hand, is called a tortoise and a poisonous slave by Prospero. As Caliban enters in Act 1 Scene 2, we realise his fury at both Prospero and Miranda. He is rude and insulting and Prospero replies with threats of torture. Prospero justifies his punishment of Caliban by his anger at the attempted rape of his daughter, something Caliban shows no remorse for. Miranda distinguishes herself from Caliban by calling him a thing most brutish and inadvertently, a thing that has only bad natures. She calls his speech gabble, but doesn t stop to wonder whether it was she that didn t understand him because she didn t know how to speak his language. Surely Caliban communicated verbally with his mother for the twelve years before Prospero killed her? It seems that Prospero and Miranda expect Caliban to be grateful for the knowledge of their language, but Caliban has just learned how to curse and justifies his anger by claiming rights to the island. Even though they obviously detest each other, Prospero needs him, as he tells Miranda: We cannot miss him: he does make our fire/Fetch in our wood, and serves in offices/That profit us, Caliban stays on because he is afraid of Prospero s art of such power, making Prospero the feared conqueror ad dictator. Prospero is the right duke of Milan and Caliban is the savage and deformed slave. They represent two different extremes on the social spectrum: that of the natural ruler, and the naturally ruled. Their positions on the social hierarchy are largely due to the fact that Caliban responds almost wholly to passions, feelings of pleasure i. e. his senses, while Prospero is ruled more by his intellect and self-discipline i. e. his mind. Although we are not given details of Caliban s birth, it seems likely that a creature as subhuman in appearance as Caliban was not born of a human union. It has been postulated that, to quote Prospero, he was got by the devil himself upon thy wicked dam, from a union between Sycorax and an incubus (an extremely attractive male apparition with intention to tempt). Caliban was therefore a creature born from passion, the offspring of an unholy pleasure. Prospero was not only of noble birth; he was also born to be ruler of the city-state of Milan. Nobility, in Elizabethan times, carried with it heavy implications: it was expected that Prospero would be intellectually superior, and that he would exercise as great discipline over himself as he was expected to exercise over others, in his role of leadership. From their ancestry, Prospero is more ruled by his intellect, and Caliban by his love of pleasure. Caliban s original love for Prospero and Miranda, and his later misdemeanour and subsequent hatred for them, illustrate his fundamental reliance on his senses. Caliban loved Prospero and Miranda because they made much of me; and his response to this was purely sensual in his recollections: Thou strok st me, wouldst give me/Water with berries in t. What Caliban responded to, more than anything else, was the sensation of pleasure that being loved and petted gave him. The action that caused Caliban to be removed from this position and punished was his attempt to rape Miranda, another example of how he seeks pleasure. Prospero s position on sexual relations is quite opposite he tells Ferdinand repeatedly not to take advantage of his daughter, for the obvious reason that rape and taking advantage of someone sexually is considered wrong. This is something Caliban doesn t seem to understand and further distances himself from the human figures. During The Tempest itself, Prospero and Caliban have two very different purposes. Prospero intends to resolve the injury that was done to Miranda and himself, bloodlessly, by the use of his Art. Caliban s dearest wish is to depose Prospero by killing him and, rather than resuming rule of the island himself, submit to the rule of Stephano. Caliban s purpose for attaching himself to Stephano and plotting to kill Prospero is almost wholly passionate. The reason that Caliban believes Stephano to be a worthy ruler, indeed, a god, is that Stephano is the custodian of liquor, a substance that appeals to his senses. His favourable response to Stephano is like his previous response to Prospero- that someone who makes him feel good must be good. Likewise, his attempt at achieving revenge on Prospero is largely in retribution for the punishment Prospero has visited upon his senses. However, though Caliban s desire for revenge is certainly not cerebral, his passions in it are not entirely sensual either. The crafty manner in which he persuades Stephano to aid him in his plan, by mentioning Prospero s riches and Miranda s beauty, shows the presence of some mental ability; as does his attempted tact in trying to keep Stephano s mind upon bloody thoughts. Furthermore, one of his grievances against Prospero is that he stole the island that was, by birthright, Caliban s and imprisoned Caliban upon it. In spite of this, Caliban s mind is subject to his senses, much as Prospero s passions are subject to his mind. Caliban s underlying motives are still passionate. His indignation at having his inheritance usurped loses its weight when we realise that, of his own free will, he will let Stephano rule- showing himself to be naturally ruled, not ruler. At the end of the play, when he recognises that his choice of Stephano as ruler was foolish, it is not mental reasoning that has led him to this conclusion, but the evidence of his senses and experience. Caliban had mid enough to function as part of society, but training him to become part of that society cannot be abstract, like Prospero s failed attempt at educating him with Miranda Caliban s education must be practical and hammered home with his own senses. If the senses represent something natural and the mind represents an art like knowledge or in Prospero s case, magic, then we can say that Caliban represents Nature and Prospero Art. While the need for control over nature is asserted continually, the ending suggests that art must ultimately come to terms with nature (hence Prospero s this thing of darkness I/Acknowledge mine ); for while Caliban s limitations are apparent, his wish to improve himself is promising, and his new relationship with Prospero seems to be more stable and more reassuring than the resentment-filled and extremely uneasy jailer-prisoner/master-slave relationship shown earlier. How to cite The Other in the Tempest, Essay examples